NoNAIS.org

[There was a server crash and failed hard drive at VONetwork.com which hosts my web site. This caused the loss of the original of this post along with a day of email. I have recreated the opening of this post below. Unfortunately the rest is lost. Do go read Elanor’s article. -WJ]

Elanor has an excellent post about her trip to the National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement hearings. This is a most disturbing proposal that could wipe out small vegetable farmers like the USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification system would do for small livestock farmers. All of this is to benefit the big producers, exporters and bureaucrats.

[Google Cache comes through! I found the original article text and it is added below. -WJ]

Elanor has an excellent post about her trip to the National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement hearings. This is a most disturbing proposal that could wipe out small vegetable farmers like the USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification system would do for small livestock farmers. All of this is to benefit the big producers, exporters and bureaucrats.

Starting this week, the USDA’s Ag Marketing Service began a series of hearings around the country (schedule) to determine whether it should move forward with helping the industry develop this proposal. If it goes through, the national LGMA would create a set of farming, shipping and manufacturing practices that would ostensibly reduce the presence of pathogens like E. coli 0157:H7 in leafy greens. Companies that sign on to the agreement would get audited by the USDA to verify that they’re complying.

Marketing agreements are voluntary, meaning that only the industry players who want to sign on become parties to it. If a signatory company passes the audit, they can display a USDA seal on their packaging. But in this case, the agreement can only be signed by handlers – companies that get greens from farmers and store, ship or process them. If they sign on, they are only allowed to buy products from farmers that comply with the on-farm part of the NLGMA requirements and get audited.

So while it’s voluntary for handlers, if you’re a farmer selling to a handler who signs it, the agreement becomes mandatory by proxy for you.

The goal of these hearings, as advertised, is to help AMS decide whether or not a national marketing agreement for leafy greens is worth pursuing. If it gives the green light, then the industry will establish advisory committees and review boards and start putting together the nuts and bolts of the agreement, including the list of practices required of participants. So now is the time for public comment — anyone who shows up to testify is allowed to offer their opinion for the record.
-Ethicurean

Go read the full article and consider that this is one more axe aimed at not just independent farmers, but also the consumers who want to buy locally. They call it voluntary but will gradually squeeze the thumbs screws shut, locking out small farmers.

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
-Thomas Jefferson

[Update: See this link for Part II of Elanor’s report. -WJ]

Our beloved leerless feeders want to mandate RFID identity cards for everyone such that if you don’t have it, or if it can’t be read, you won’t have access to federal buildings (Post Office, IRS, Courts…), railroads, airports, borders, etc. REAL ID is a national push, sort of like NAIS for people. But what if they screw up?

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles recalled about 4,000 enhanced state driver’s licenses and identification cards last week that had been issued in response to a federal law designed to heighten border security.

The enhanced driver’s licenses and non-driver ID cards were issued this summer to help Vermonters comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which took effect on June 1. The law requires U.S. citizens returning from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and the Bahamas to present a greater level of identification than was previously required, such as a passport or one of the enhanced identification cards, according to the DMV Web site.

Vermont has issued about 8,000 of the enhanced cards so far, but there have been problems with some of them. The equipment that U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses to scan the licenses and verify they are authentic has been unable to read some of the identification cards, causing people to be delayed at the border as officials try to sort through the problem.
-TimesArgus

So in other words, 50% of the enhanced drivers licenses have been recalled for failure. 50% of the citizens get denied access to their own government, to travel, to work… It’s a Brave New World and Big Bungler is watching you.

Promoted from comment of esbee:

Here is the texas 13-member commission appointed by the governor. perhaps we texans and others can write to them to somehow influence them to find someone with sense who does not worship the great god nais and drink the naisty koolaid…i am sure, knowing how politicks works, they are probably already being influenced …the commissioners each represent a segment of the livestock industry…veterinary…feedlot…sheep and goat…poultry.. etc. The commissioners serve a six-year term, and the appointments are “staggered,” so that each governor has an opportunity to appoint some of the commissioners…

The commissioners meet at least four times yearly at the TAHC to consider new regulations, address
issues and listen to public comment. They hire the executive director of the TAHC, who is in charge of
agency’s day-to-day operation. The hiring committee will be comprised of commissioners, with the
assistance of our human resources director and general counsel, to ensure that we follow all the
regulations for hiring and job offering.

A list of the commissioners and the specific part of the agriculture industry they represent is on our web site on this page.